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Fish, South and Southeast Asian

Shorshe maach with rice, Bengali mustard fish

Shorshe maach is a Bengali dish of cod simmered in a sharp mustard sauce, served with white rice. It serves 4, takes 35 minutes, is rated easy, and costs €3.70 per person. The key to getting it right is the mustard paste, which should never boil for long or it turns bitter.

Tonight it's shorshe maach, Bengali fish in a mustard sauce that tingles your nose just right, with plain white rice.

Shorshe maach with rice, Bengali mustard fish
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.70
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Shorshe maach starts with a gentle sting in your nose before the first bite. Hot mustard and yellow mustard seeds give the sauce a sharp, bright heat that's different from chili, more cutting, more alive, and it wakes up the cod without overpowering it. Turmeric colors the fish a deep yellow, and fresh cilantro adds a green note that tempers the mustard's fire a little.

This is a dish for a night when you want a change from your usual fish in sauce, without spending the whole evening on it. It suits a curious family or guests who like discovering a less familiar cuisine, though the heat means it's not really built for young kids. Served with white rice that soaks up the sauce, it makes a complete, comforting meal even on a weeknight.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cod fillets 700 g

Pantry

  • Hot mustard 3 tbsp
  • Yellow mustard seedsoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Mustard oil or neutral oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Basmati riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green chili 3
  • Fresh cilantro 3 sprigs

Allergens Fish, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Blend the mustard, the seeds soaked for ten minutes in warm water, one chili, and a little salt into a smooth paste. 10 min

    Use warm water, not hot, too much heat kills the mustard's sharpness.

  2. Rub the fish with turmeric and salt, then sear it for one minute on each side in the oil. 4 min

    Sear it fast, it will finish cooking in the sauce.

  3. In the same pan, add the mustard paste, half a glass of water, and the split chilies, and bring gently to a simmer. 3 min

    Stir constantly, mustard catches on the bottom of the pan quickly.

  4. Return the fish to the sauce, cover, and cook over low heat. 8 min

    Turn the fish only once, gently.

  5. Cook the basmati rice, serve the fish coated in sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro. 12 min

    A spoonful of raw mustard oil drizzled over the fish right before serving gives it the true Bengali taste.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a good quality hot mustard, it carries most of the flavor here, a mild mustard will leave the sauce flat.
  • Taste the sauce before returning the fish to the pan and adjust the salt, mustard tends to mask other flavors.
  • If you don't have a blender, crush the soaked mustard seeds with a mortar before mixing them with the hot mustard, the texture will be a bit more rustic but the taste stays true.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for salmon or monkfish, firm fish that hold up well cooking in the sauce.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the fish with potatoes or eggplant cut into large chunks, parboiled then finished in the sauce.
  • For a milder version, cut the green chili down to just one and remove the seeds, the mustard alone still brings plenty of heat.

What to serve it with

  • Plain basmati rice
  • Sliced fresh cucumber
  • Light black tea or lemon water

Storage

Shorshe maach keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The mustard sauce doesn't freeze well since it can turn bitter, so skip the freezer. Reheat it gently in a pan or on very low heat, without boiling, to keep the mustard's flavor intact.

Questions about this dish

Can mustard oil be replaced with neutral oil?

Yes, the recipe actually allows for either. Mustard oil gives a more traditional, sharper flavor, but neutral oil works fine and gives a milder result.

How do you tone down the heat if you're worried about spice?

Remove the seeds from the green chilies and cut them down to one or two. You can also slightly reduce the amount of hot mustard without changing the mustard seeds.

Can the mustard paste be made ahead?

You can make it a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Avoid making it the day before, since its sharpness fades over time.

Why shouldn't the sauce boil for long?

Mustard heated too long or at too high a temperature develops an unpleasant bitterness. That's why it's only brought to a simmer before the fish goes back in over low heat.

How long does it take to make a shorshe maach, Bengali mustard fish, with rice?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a shorshe maach, Bengali mustard fish, with rice?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a shorshe maach, Bengali mustard fish, with rice cost?

About €3.70 per serving, or €14.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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